How to Paint a Cat [NOOK Book]

Overview

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

San Francisco isn’t the biggest city in the country, but it feels pretty vast when you’re canvassing its neighborhoods looking for clues to your missing uncle’s hidden location. Aided by my two cats, Rupert and Isabella, I try to follow Uncle Oscar’s painted clues on a trail that leads from Coit Tower’s famous murals through San Francisco’s ...

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This Book

Overview

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

San Francisco isn’t the biggest city in the country, but it feels pretty vast when you’re canvassing its neighborhoods looking for clues to your missing uncle’s hidden location. Aided by my two cats, Rupert and Isabella, I try to follow Uncle Oscar’s painted clues on a trail that leads from Coit Tower’s famous murals through San Francisco’s New Deal art—all while hoping my uncle’s sudden disappearance is unrelated to the murdered intern at City Hall.

Just when it seems our search has hit a wall, we receive some surprising help from beyond. But will it be enough to save us from our own brushes with death? Here’s hoping we don’t paint ourselves into a corner…

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

03/01/2014
Continuing the mystery surrounding the murder of the mayor's intern (in How To Tail a Cat), this fifth in the clever San Francisco-based paranormal cozy series leads up the Bohemian Highway. Perhaps the city's famous New Deal-era murals will provide the necessary clues.

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Meet the Author

REBECCA M. HALE worked as a patent attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area before writing her New York Times bestselling Cats and Curios Mystery series, including How to Wash a Cat, Nine Lives Last Forever, How to Moon a Cat, and How to Tail a Cat. She is also the author of the Mystery in the Islands series, including Adrift on St. John and Afoot on St. Croix. Rebecca lives in Western Colorado with her feline writing associates - when she's not off researching future books set in San Francisco, the Caribbean, or wherever else her wandering spirit takes her.

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The fifth installment in Rebecca M. Hale's Cats and Curios serie

The fifth installment in Rebecca M. Hale's Cats and Curios series brings readers a little closer to finding out what Uncle Oscar is up to. How to Paint a Cat centers around the murder of an intern, clues in the murals of San Francisco and two feline heroes. Hale knows how to draw out a mystery and fans of the series will on the edge of their seats wondering if Uncle Oscar will finally be revealed. The history of the beautiful city of San Francisco plays an important role in this series and history buffs, as well as, mystery fans will love the connection. Art enters into the picture as well, as Rupert and Isabella come face to face with a whole lot of paint!

What I liked:

How to Paint a Cat is book five in the Cats and Curios series. Readers are still looking for clues that lead to Uncle Oscar. There is a vast amount of historical detail in this series and this book in particular delves in the art and murals that are so much a part of the city of San Francisco. Hale has done some serious research on all aspects of the city of San Fran and readers who also might be history buffs will love the attention to detail, the descriptive parts of the novel that deal with the Gold Rush and Hale's keen sense of knowing what makes this city so unique. San Francisco takes on all the characteristics of a character.

Rupert and Isabella, the feline heroes of this series are back. Though sometimes these kitties seem more human than animal, there point of view is extremely entertaining. Hale uses a lot of humor where the cats are concerned and that gives the novel a lighter side that cat lovers will fall for. Parts of the book are told from the cat point of view, which can be a little confusing but definitely worth the time to figure out. This isn't a coaster. This is a book you have to pay close attention to.

Another interesting feature is that the protagonist, Rebecca, is rarely named. Readers see things from her point of view quite often in the book, but because she is shy and quiet, we don't really know who she is for the most part. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. In this case I think the author wants the main spotlight to be on the cats and the overall mystery of Uncle Oscar and not on the cat's person, if you will. That can create a disconnect between what readers believe the main viewpoint should be, but if readers relax and try to think outside the box a little bit, I think they will find it interesting.

What I didn't like:

Ok, it's book five. I think we should be little bitter closer to finding out the details of Uncle Oscar's death by now. I feel like we don't know anything more than we did in the beginning. We have learned more about the history of San Francisco in this series than we have about the actual mystery.

Bottom Line:

This series has an interesting premise but I think it falls a bit short of it's potential. There are just too many confusing aspects of the story to try to keep straight. The historical aspects are well written but I think the author relies on that a little too much to carry the story. I'm not quite sure this is the kind of mystery that cozy readers are looking for. But as with most things, take it with a grain of salt. Read it and see what you think.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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San Francisco isn¿t the biggest city in the country, but it feel

San Francisco isn’t the biggest city in the country, but it feels pretty vast when you’re canvassing its neighborhoods looking for clues to your missing uncle’s hidden location. Aided by my two cats, Rupert and Isabella, I try to follow Uncle Oscar’s painted clues on a trail that leads from Coit Tower’s famous murals through San Francisco’s New Deal art—all while hoping my uncle’s sudden disappearance is unrelated to the murdered intern at City Hall.

Just when it seems our search has hit a wall, we receive some surprising help from beyond. But will it be enough to save us from our own brushes with death? Here’s hoping we don’t paint ourselves into a corner…

Dollycas’s Thoughts

These stories are not your typical cozy mysteries, they are true adventures.

How to Paint a Cat picks up right where How to Tail a Cat leaves off. Uncle Oscar is still missing or dead depending on who you ask, but he is one of the prime suspects in the murder of a young City Hall intern. His niece assisted by her cats, Rupert, who will do anything for a bite of fried chicken, and Isabella, a very inquisitive feline, are doing their best to find him or the real killer. They are being led on quite a sightseeing tour by a clue and some beautiful murals. They are kept on track by a very unusual source.

I must stress that this series needs to be read in order. Each story builds to the next and without reading the previous one the reader would be totally lost. The author uses San Francisco as not only the setting but its very interesting history plays a huge part in the plot of each book. Using the multiple points of view of several characters including those fabulous felines readers are treated to not only an awesome mystery but the sites of the area. Let me tell you the view from the kitties perch can be down right hilarious.

Hale has a different way of telling a story that may take a little bit of getting used to but when you let go you will find yourself right in the niece’s shoes trekking all over San Francisco trying to follow each and every clue. I did take a small break in my reading to check out some of the murals. Gorgeous. Then the trip I was on in the story became quite real and a lot of fun.

I totally enjoyed this story. I am so ready for HOW TO CATCH A CAT coming in 2015.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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MarieHahn13

Posted March 13, 2014

When I began this series, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it

When I began this series, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It was different. And not different in a bad way, just unlike anything I'd ever read. The humor was fantastic, the multiple POV's were brilliant, and the entire idea behind making the series one big mystery with an array of smaller ones made me keep coming back for more each time another book was released.

The thing that I loved the most about this installment, was the city of San Francisco itself. It was it's own character in this clever story, offering clues to the characters as they searched for answers. It added an air of history to the plot. I loved it! I also loved the humor. These books are always so funny - thanks to the author's colorful cast of characters and their unique personalities.

Unfortunately, for readers who are new to this series, it does have to be read in order. Otherwise, you'll find yourself beyond lost, as the previous books are imperative to the plot. So, I have to recommend that you read the first four books of the series before embarking on this playfully fun journey in the series. I promise you, it's unlike anything you've ever read before, and you'll absolutely love every minute of it :) (I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions are my own.)

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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glTX

Posted April 1, 2014

Waiting for next book.

Love humor with mystery.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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chefdt

Posted March 11, 2014

How To Paint A Cat is the fifth book in the Cats And Curios Myst

How To Paint A Cat is the fifth book in the Cats And Curios Mystery series.

I love this series and the author's style of writing. Ms. Hale will have two or three stories going, switching back and forth and in the end tying them all so neatly at the end. For this reader, I like to read these engrossing stories, but also take my time and think about what the author is writing so that I don't miss any of the subtleties that the author likes to use.

It's busy times in San Francisco, the interim mayor, Monty Carmichael, is about to be sworn into office. Monty got the mayoral appointment the night the young intern, Spider Jones, was found murdered at city hall. The reader will learn more about the evening that Spider was killed and just what he was working on at that time that might have been reason for his murder. Much to Oscar's niece, she also learns that the description of the two men leaving city hall, appear to be Uncle Oscar and his friend Sam.

When the &quot;ghost&quot; of Spider shares with the Oscar's niece to follow the &quot;art work&quot;, she and her feline friends, Isabella and Rupert, head for museums and building that have painting from the New Deal Art Work artist. So she's off with Isabella and Rupert to find clues from the art works as to where her Uncle Oscar and Sam might be.

Most all of the characters from the previous 4 books are back to help in her search. Isabella is a big help in spotting clues during the search, while Rupert does what he does best, worry about where his next meal of fried chicken will come from.

I would recommend readers to start with book one.

Looking forward to book six

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted February 19, 2015

To YOU SUCK

CORRECTION CATS ARE 0% ANNOYING 50% ADORABLE AND 50% PLAYFUL

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Anonymous

Posted September 6, 2014

YOU SUCK!!!

CATS ARE 90% PLAYFUL 5%LAZY AND 5% ANNOYING!!!!!!

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Anonymous

Posted September 24, 2014

Cats suck so bad

Get a life a dog could kick a cats a.ss

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